THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY

SHONA DEANS (MESSINGER) Born 29/10/1963 Died 19/06/2011

Another funeral today I am afraid, they say that the older you get the less weddings and the more funerals you attend, but what shook me today I guess is that we were saying goodbye to an old school friend Shona Deans.

So is this a new chapter in my life where those of the same age start to depart stage left?

Well hopefully not too quickly, Shona was only 47 and died of cancer and as such left this life far far too early, but I guess in any group of friends some will go too early and other will seem to be around forever and always manage to look younger than you do?

Shona was a real star, full of life and energy, always thinking of others whilst also enjoying her own life to the full. At school she was drooled over by the boys for her looks and respected by all because of her strong will and character.

Shona got me in to real trouble at School after I had bought the current Mrs Clarke three red roses for Valentines day, Shona wanted to know where hers were. I suggested to Carole that as I had given her three that she might want to share at least one of them with Shona. As I remember neither Carole nor Shona were too hot on that suggestion and it was not one of my more better diplomatic inputs!

Carole finally relented, and a couple of weeks back took three red roses up to Shona in Cynthia Spencer, unfortunately, Shona was too ill for visitors on that day and passed away on the 19th.

Today at the funeral Shona's son Ross was a real credit to her as he calmly yet obviously emotionally told us all what a great job his mum had made of bringing him and his sister up as a single parent and how the lessons she had taught them would go on to help them both throughout their lives.

I believe Ross is only 19, but he has had to grow up very quickly since his mum was diagnosed, he was a rock today, and his mother would have been very proud of him and of her daughter who also helped to lead the mourners with an obvious love and pride for a good mother taken away from them way before it was her time to go.

Sleep well Shona XX

FIGHTING FOR PEACE

Luckily today's Trade Union action has passed with only minor scuffles breaking out in London as Anarchists, helpfully having dressed themselves up in all black so they could easily be identified, failed to get past police lines and cordons.

Unlike some peope I am happy to give my full unequivical support and soidatory for those taking industrial action. Why shouldn't they do so. There pay has been frozen for two years and now a sorry mixture of Tory, Lib and Labour muppets in parliament tell them that they need to pay a lot more each month for their pension which will be smaller than they were promised and that they cant retire until they are 66! Breach of contract Full Stop. And if Local Government cant afford it then they shouldn't have been so keen to take so many pension holidays in the 1990's or used their non paid contributions to offset council tax rises

The troubles however in Greece continue to escalate. But if I am allowed a slight giggle at what is a very worrying time, it is because of a classic live interview given yesterday lunchtime on Radio 4 by a Greek protester.

The unknown women was asked what she had witnessed following what seemed like a massive brawl on the streets outside of the Greek Parliament and she told the beebs reporter without any sense of irony:

"It was nothing much really, we are all peaceful protesters and we had found amongst us a man dressed all in black who was clearly there just to cause trouble, so we all decided to beat him up"

Fair enough I guess? who needs total pacifism whilst there are still just causes to be fought for? Trouble is from the shots I have seen the rioters are in black, the police are in black and many of the local muslim community wear black, so its not an easy call!

Still anarchists in Britain should beware!!


IT GETS DIRTIER AND DIRTIER

Some of you may remember this post:

http://tonyclarkeindependent.blogspot.com/search?q=dirty+little+secret

In it I outlined how thousands of tonnes of contaminated waste had allegedly been dumped onto Delapre Abbey in 2005 within the two giant earth bunds by a local contractor (Thomas Haulage) right under the noses of the Borough Council and the officers who were supposed to be monitoring the works.

Despite Northampton Borough Council having been given signed affidavits from both one of the Lorry Drivers involved who tipped the contaminated waste and also another from one of those who had loaded it on the wagons, they had still failed in their statutory duty to take proper legal action to bring the polluter to justice and to make them pay for the clear up of the site. Because unless they do it will be and you who picks up the bill in the long run through our council tax

I also raised this matter in the council chamber on several occasions only to repeatedly hear from the then Liberal Democrat Administration that there was no contamination!

So I was interested to read in Saturdays Chronicle and Echo that the same company has just been fined £27,500 for dumping more illegal waste (10,000 Tonnes) into a lake at Billing Aquadrome last year! This action was taken by the Environment Agency, well done to them. But what about Delapre Abbey?

In addition I recently got sent anonymously some photos of the said waste in situ, and I have asked for more!

The continued failure by the Council to take any action, despite the overwhelming and growing evidence pointing to an even bigger crime having been committed at Delapre Abbey suggests that they are either Spineless, Gutless cowards unwilling to tackle the polluters and to make them pay, or even worse it suggests they may have something themselves to cover up regarding this whole sorry affair?

Either way I think a new Conservative Administration should take the opportunity afforded to them in being newly elected to make a statement declaring their intentions.

As I have said before this one will not got away!! No matter how deep some people want to bury it.

NO HAWKERS - NO SALESPERSONS - NO TIME WASTERS

We always seem to know when there is an unwelcome or unwanted caller at our door? Maybe it's the timing? early evening or Sunday mornings? Maybe we all have built in bullsh*t detectors warning us against peddlers.

But whatever the reason I am convinced (now more than ever) that election candidates are about as welcome on our doorsteps as Johava's Witnesses or those energy sales staff offering ever reduced tariffs.

It is for this reason that less of my campaigning these days is carried out in the old fashioned manner. Gone are the days of reading systems and canvass returns, in is the age of direct mail, readable leaflets, and e-campaigning.

But I still can't help but think that we are all still trying to sell a product that the public has long since got tired of buying.

Turnout at tomorrows Euro and Council elections is predicted to be as always at a "record low" (i.e. since the last election broke the last record low) and in many ways the furore over MP's expenses has simply legitimised the "I never bother voting anyway" camp

You see any contract between two people be they selling eggs or political promises has to be formed on the basis of both parties having either something to give or wanting something back in return.

So in this instance most candidates are saying " I have a bag full of promises to make to you to make your life better for you, I can also promise you that whilst now, at this minute my intentions maybe good that afterwards I reserve the right to change my mind and amend my promises as befits the needs of my Party.

The voter meanwhile pledges to "maybe go out and vote for you or your party on the basis that I think I trust that you will do what you say you will do, but I reserve the right to either not bother voting if I can't be bothered and also change my voting intentions in the future should a better offer come along and or the mood swings the other way"

It's hardly a match made in heaven is it? Years ago a persons political character was often set and known to them. They were Socialists who voted Labour or Capitalists who voted Tory or confused individuals in sandals and cardigans who couldn't make their mind up and voted Liberal.

But now it seems as if we don't need to hold any political ideals? and that you can change your party as often (if not more) than you change your wallpaper. Of course a lot of this is the fault of all of the three main parties wrestling for the same plot of centre ground Middle England turf and making their parties almost carbon copy's of each other.

So wheres the loyalty? wheres the honesty? and where is the delivery? Increasingly I believe that the public anger at the "expenses" scandal runs a far lot deeper than their distaste for the behaviour of our MP's. I believe that many have also lost all faith in the system itself and feel that "Politics" Local and National has little to offer to them.

Perhaps we are all to comfortable? or that those who are not and in need have lost hope of anyone speaking up for them?

The Labour Party was formed over 100 years ago as a partnership between the working men and women of Britain and their trade union memberships. It worked for a long period of time when rights at work and equality between rich and poor were still to be strived for. However despite many of these rights being currently eroded it seems as if most working people have abandoned the trade union movement in favour of the "no win no fee" culture.

Equally there has been an abandonment of the Labour Party, in fact an abandonment of all of the big three party's as 99% of the population chose not to be members of any of them.

But people are starting to organise again. In my own seat Castle Ward we have active community groups, forums and residents associations. We have volunteers willing to give their time to improve their locality. People are "Doing it for themselves" without the need for someone to sanction their activity through passing a motion at any party meeting, or even at the Council.

That is why more local candidates should be elected on Thursday, that is why more an more Independent candidates are being successful across the UK.

On June the 4th across Northamptonshire there are a eight Independent candidates standing for election together with a few local community minded candidates also standing under the grouping of Northampton Save our Services.

Each will be fighting to be elected with little outside support and without much media attention. If we want to change politics in our county for good and for the better, and send a message to all the main parties that we are through with their continued empty promises and deceit, then I hope those of you who have the chance to, will vote for candidates who will not be compromised by any political whip, nor tempted by any offer of party position.

I would also urge voters not to be taken in by the disgraceful and disturbing mantra peddled in the County by the far right BNP. Hopefully there continued exposure will be enough to warn people of their vile hidden agenda.

So If you want to hold up to the true radical traditions of independent thought and action by Northamptonshire's citizens that over the centuries has brought us real political change from backing Parliament in the civil war through to returning Bradlaugh to Parliament four times against the wishes of the establishment then I hope that this time you will consider, if you have the opportunity of doing so on June the 4th, of voting for an Independent Voice to represent you at County Hall.